Heating a House in German

Summary

With help from an illustration, students read about the operation of a warm-water, central heating system, typical of many German homes, and answer questions.

Materials

German/English dictionary drawing and writing tools paper

Background for Teachers

The heating system of a home is an important and common use of science, engineering, and technology to meet human needs.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students learn the basic physics and technology of a home heating system.

Instructional Procedures

Have each student draw a diagram and write a description of the heating system at the place where he or she lives by answering the following questions:

1. What are the main components of the system ?
2. What fuel is used ?
3. Where does the heating take place ?
4. How is heat transferred to each room ?
5. How is room temperature controlled ?

Wörter (words):

A. der Öltank	E. der Vorlauf	J. der Heizkörper
B. die Saugleitung	F. das Regulierventil	K. der Ölstandzeiger
C. das Ölbrenner	G. der Rücklauf	L. der Wasserstandmesser
D. der Zentralheizungskessel	H. der Raumthermostat	M. das Kesselthermometer

das Einfamilienhaus	single-family house
die Luft	air
das Haus	house
das Heizöl	heating oil
die Heizung	heating system
der Kessel	boiler
die Temperatur	temperature
die Wärme	warmth
die Warmwasserheizung	warm water heating system
das Wasser	water
die Zentralheizung	central heating system
das Zimmer	room
der Zustand	status
abkühlen	cool down
aufspeichern	store
durchleiten	pipe
feststellen	measure
fließen	flow
isolieren	insulate
machen	make
regulieren	control
strömen	flow
als	as
automatisch	automatic
heiß	hot
man	one (a person)
nochmals	again
passieren	happen
unterirdisch	underground
wieder	again
zurück	back

Instructions: Read the following passage:

Die Familie Schilling wohnt in einem Einfamilienhaus. Die Warmwasserheizung macht ihr Hause warm im Winter wie folgt:

Man speichert das Heizöl in einem unterirdischen Öltank auf und leitet es durch die Saugleitung zum Ölbrenner am Zentralheizungskessel, wo das Wasser heiß gemacht wird. Das heiße Wasser fließt durch den isolierten Vorlauf und das Regulierventil zu dem Heizkörper jedes Zimmers. Da strömt die Wärme vom heißen Wasser in die Luft. Das abgekühlte Wasser fließt durch den Rucklauf wieder zurück zum Kessel, wo es nochmals heiß gemacht wird. Der Raumthermostat reguliert automatisch die Temperatur des Zimmers. Durch den Ölstandzeiger, den Wasserstandmesser, und das Kesselthermometer stellt man den Zustand der Heizung fest.

Instructions: In small groups clarify the meaning of the reading selection.

English:

The Schilling family lives in a single-family house. The warm-water central heating system keeps their house warm in Winter as follows:

Heating oil is stored in an underground oil tank and is piped by suction to the oil burner on the central heating furnace, where water is made hot. The hot water flows through the insulated feed line and the control valve to the radiator of every room. There the heat flows from the water to the air. The cooled water flows through the return line back again to the furnace, where the water is again heated. The room thermostat automatically regulates the temperature of a room. With the oil level gauge, the water level gauge, and the furnace thermometer one can determine the status of the heating system.

Kulturelle Unterschiede (cultural differences):

	Utah - Wasatch Front	Germany
Heating fuel	natural gas	heating oil
Method of heat transfer	forced air	piped water

Extensions

Have each small group of students prepare in German a brief description of one of their own diagrams (prepared in the introductory activity).

Assessment Plan

Fragen:

1. Was passiert im Zentralheizungskessel ?
2. Warum kühlt das Wasser ab, als es durch den Heizkörper fließt ?

Questions:

1. What happens in the central heating boiler ?
2. Why does the hot water cool as it passes through the radiator ?

Antworten:

1. Der Ölbrenner macht das Wasser heiß.
2. Die Wärme strömt von dem Wasser in die Luft des Zimmers.

Answers:

1. The oil burner heats the water.
2. Heat flows from the water into the air of the room.

Bibliography

Dudenverlag, Der Große Duden - Bildwörterbuch der deutschen Sprache (Bibliographisches Institut, Mann, 1958) 84-85